Migration Case Study: Brazil (EDC)

Migration Case Study: Brazil (EDC)

1. BASIC FACTS

   • 7th largest econ in the world; leading power in Latin America
   • Exp a significant inc in GDP per capita from US$4874 (2007) to US$5823 (2014)
   • Sectoral contribution to GDP: Services (69%), industry (25%), agriculture (6%)
   • declining crude birth rate and ageing population

2. CURRENT PATTERNS OF IM/EM-IGRATION

   • Net migration loss of 1/2 mil, slowed to 190,000 between 2010 and 2014
   • Inc migration between Brazil & neighbours (esp Mercosur members, Chileans and Adean)
   • Slowing down of emigration of lower skilled econ migrants to the US
   • Inc emigration of highly skilled workers to Europe USA and Japan
   • Influx of migrants from Haiti & African countries (using Ecuador and Chile as transit countries)
   • Rise in num of international labour migrants affected by the construction industry for the 2014 football world cup & Olympics

3. CHANGES IN IM/EM-MIGRATION OVER TIME

   • Late 19th/20th cent, Brazil was a net recipient of migrants - periods of Europeans attracted by the agricultural sector (esp. coffee cultivation) - particularly Italians, Germans and Portuguese
   • Political crises at various times have led to migrations from Bolivia, Angola and Leabanon
   • Immigration into Brazil has slowed in the last 15yrs
     • 2013, 1.77 mil Brazilians lived abroad compared w/ 0.98 million in 2000
   • USA has the largest pop overseas for mainly econ reasons. Brazilians of Japanese descent have emigrated to Japan, encouraged by employment opps

4. ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND ENVIRON INTERDEPENDENCE W/ COUNTRIES CONNECTED TO BRAZIL BY MIGRANT FLOWS

   • PORTUGAL
     • Long-standing bilateral relationship on a political, social and economic basis
     • Brazil was a former colony of Portugal & the P Gov still gives special status to B migrants
     • Econ Migrants: Port has become a gateway for entry to the EU - shared language, ancestry and family ties mean that there can be better intergration
     • Reciprocal migration is supported by the well-developed social diaspora networks in both countries; Migrant remittances are important economic factor
   • USA
     • Thousands of low-skilled economic migrants work in the USA and are able to remit significant monies
     • Returning migrants have acquired skills and knowledge - enabling them to contribute to Brazilian development
     • Highly skilled Brazilians are inc finding opps to work in the USA, esp in the service sector
     • Strong links in education & teacher training
     • USA has negotiated agreements regarding agriculture, trade, finance, education and defence
       • USAID gives support to Brazil in many environment projects; range from practical help (i.e. training Xavante indigenous ppl to protect their tribal lands from forest fire); assisting the B GOV in designing and implementing laws concerning forest governance and sustainable forest management
   • HAITI
     • Strong humanitarian relationship
     • National Immigration Council for Brazil enabled Haitian im's to obtain visas relatively easily in Haiti , thereby reducing vulnerability to trafficking
     • Devastating EQUAKE of 2010 (displaced 1.5 mil) , meant that the good relationship was of great help
     • Num of IM's grew from 1681 in 2010 to 11,072 in 2013 - continues to rise as Haitians attempt to escape poverty, poor access to education and the country's appalling human rights record (esp gender based violence)
     • Many intend to go to the Southeast of Brazil where low-skilled jobs are available in Agriculture and the factories of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina

5. IMPACT OF MIGRATION

   • Economic Development
     • Arrivals of highly skilled professionals w/ employment contracts have contributed to entrepreneurship, innovation and reducing gaps in the labour market
     • Emigration to the USA, Jap, Port etc has resulted in migrant remittances to Brazil, used for housing improvements, education and general consumption
       • This has contributed to development at all scales (US$2.4 Bil , 2014 - 0.1% of GDP)
   • Political Stability
     • B has a stable and democratic political system; leading member of Mercosur (important member of G20 and OECD)
     • Membership of Mercosur, primarily a trading bloc (free flow of trade, capital and labour migration), has helped South American integration and promotion of political stability
     • Stable political relations w/ countries that have significant bilateral migrant flows, esp USA, JAP, PORT
     • B = important reciever of environ and political refugees, the Gov accepts responsibility for their welfare and employment prospects
   • Social Equality
     • Acc to UNESCO there are inequalities in different ethnic groups. These exist in housing provision, access to services, educational attainment and income; Brazilians of African descent are most affected
     • Ineq's have a spatial perspective, w/ poverty concentrated in rural areas or in the favelas to which the poor migrate
     • Prejudice and discrimination in the labour market towards black and indigenous populations, this impedes their full economic, political and social development